The invention relates to television entertainment systems for providing television programming to consumer homes. More particularly, the invention relates to a network controller that monitors, controls and manages a television program delivery network from a cable headend.
Advances in television entertainment have been primarily driven by breakthroughs in technology. In 1939, advances on Vladmir Zworykin""s picture tube provided the stimulus for NBC to begin its first regular broadcasts. In 1975, advances in satellite technology provided consumers with increased programming to homes.
Many of these technology breakthroughs have produced inconvenient systems for consumers. One example is the ubiquitous three remote control home, having a separate and unique remote control for the TV, cable box and VCR. More recently, technology has provided cable users in certain parts of the country with 100 channels of programming. This increased program capacity is beyond the ability of many consumers to use effectively. No method of managing the program choices has been provided to consumers.
Consumers are demanding that future advances in television entertainment, particularly programs and program choices, be presented to the consumer in a user friendly manner. Consumer preferences, instead of technological breakthroughs, will drive the television entertainment market for at least the next 20 years. As computer vendors have experienced a switch from marketing new technology in computer hardware to marketing better useability, interfaces and service, the television entertainment industry will also experience a switch from new technology driving the market to consumer useability driving the market.
Consumers want products incorporating new technology that are useful, and will no longer purchase new technology for the sake of novelty or status. Technological advances in sophisticated hardware are beginning to surpass the capability of the average consumer to use the new technology. Careful engineering must be done to make entertainment products incorporating new technology useful and desired by consumers.
In order for new television entertainment products to be successful, the products must satisfy consumer demands. TV consumers wish to go from limited viewing choices to a variety of choices, from no control of programming to complete control. Consumers wish to advance from cumbersome and inconvenient television to easy and convenient television and keep costs down. Consumers do not wish to pay for one hundred channels when due to lack of programming information, they seldom, if ever, watch programming on many of these channels. Viewers wish their programming to be customized and targeted to their needs and tastes.
The concepts of interactive television, high definition television and 300 channel cable systems in consumer homes will not sell if they are not packaged, delivered and presented in a useable fashion to consumers. Consumers are already being bombarded with programming options, numerous xe2x80x9cfreexe2x80x9d cable channels, subscription cable channels and pay-per-view choices. Any further increase in TV entertainment choices, without a user friendly presentation and approach, will likely bewilder viewers with a mind-numbing array of choices.
The TV industry has traditionally marketed and sold its programs to consumers in bulk, such as continuous feed broadcast and long-term subscriptions to movie channels. The TV industry is unable to sell its programming in large quantities on a unit per unit basis, such as the ordering of one program. Consumers prefer a unit sales approach because it keeps costs down and allows the consumer to be more selective in their viewing.
In today""s television world, networks manage the program lineup for individual channels. Each network analyzes ratings for television shows and determines the appropriate schedule or program lineup to gain market share and revenue from advertising. Program ratings are determined using a test group of viewers and statistical analysis methods. Since each channel is in competition with every other channel, there is no coordinated effort to organize television programming in a manner that primarily suits the viewers.
Advertising has become equally annoying, with viewers being xe2x80x9cforcedxe2x80x9d to watch television commercials for goods and services that are neither needed nor desired. As a result, consumers have become impatient and dissatisfied with today""s television delivery systems. Equally problematic, these television delivery systems do not have the capabilities or features necessary to operate in the digital environment. Consequently, advances in digital technology call for a new television program delivery system that is capable of satisfying varying consumer and viewer needs.
Existing cable headends are unequipped for the transition to a digital system. These cable headends have no means for monitoring and controlling the large numbers of program signals and advertisements that will eventually be passed on to both consumers and viewers. These cable headends are unequipped to manage account and billing information for set top terminals without relying on telephone lines. In addition, these cable headends have no means for targeting advertisements to particular consumers and viewers.
What is needed is a network controller for a digital cable headend used in a television delivery system.
What is needed is a versatile network controller for a cable headend.
What is needed is a network controller for use in a cable headend that Is capable of operating in both the digital and analog environment.
What is needed is certain components of a network controller for a digital cable headend used in a cable television delivery system.
What is needed is a network controller capable of controlling multiple video/audio program signals received by a cable headend from a satellite transponder.
What is needed is a network controller that can control the routing of both analog and digital video/audio program signals from cable headend to viewer homes.
What is needed is a network controller component for a cable headend that controls the combining the digital video/audio signals.
What is needed is a network controller that creates tiered programming by combining various digital video/audio signals.
What is needed is a network controller for a cable headend that accommodates different bandwidth availability between cable headend and certain viewer homes.
What is needed is a network controller capable of modifying program control information received from an external source.
What is needed is a network controller capable of targeting video to viewers.
What is needed is a network controller capable of targeting television commercials to specific consumers and viewers.
What is needed is a network controller capable of gathering information on programs watched by viewers.
What is needed is a better method of determining program ratings.
What is needed is a network controller capable of managing account and billing information.
The present invention is addressed to fulfill these needs.
The present invention is a network controller for a television delivery system. The network controller is the central component that provides monitoring and control of set top terminals in a television delivery system. The network controller is a key component of a digital cable television delivery system. The network controller of the present invention provides much greater capability and flexibility than existing cable headend control equipment.
The network controller of the preferred embodiment performs all its cable network monitoring and control of set top terminals within the cable headend. The cable headend receives and processes digitally compressed program signals before the signals are relayed to each set top terminal. Each cable headend site is equipped with multiple satellite receiver dishes and a signal processor.
As an intermediary between the set top terminals and the program delivery system""s operations center (or other remote site), the cable headend relies on the network controller to perform key cable system operations. In particular, the network controller accommodates regional programming needs by working with other cable headend components. The network controller also performs the system control functions for the cable system.
The primary function of the network controller is to manage the configuration of set top terminals and process signals received from the set top terminals. In the preferred embodiment, the network controller monitors, among other things, automatic poll-back responses from the set top terminals remotely located at each subscribers"" home. The polling and automatic report-back cycle occurs frequently enough to allow the network controller to maintain accurate account and billing information as well as monitor authorized channel access.
In the simplest embodiment, information to be sent to the network controller will be stored in RAM within each subscriber""s set top terminal and will be retrieved only upon polling by the network controller. Retrieval may, for example, occur on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. The network controller allows the system to maintain complete information on all programs watched using a particular set top terminal.
The network controller is also able to respond to the immediate needs of a set top terminal, or a group of set top terminals. The network controller can modify a program signal received from the program delivery system""s operations center before the program signal is transmitted to the set top terminal. Therefore, the network controller enables the delivery system to adapt to the specific requirements of individual set top terminals when information on these requirements cannot be provided to the operations center in advance. In other words, the network controller is able to perform xe2x80x9con the fly programmingxe2x80x9d changes. With this capability, the network controller can handle sophisticated local programming needs such as interactive television services, split screen video, and selection of different foreign languages for the same video. In addition, the network controller controls and monitors all compressors and decompressors in the system.
The network controller makes use of a number of software routines that assist the network controller to perform its major functions. One of the major routines assists the network controller to modify the program control information so that changes and additions in programming and advertisements can be accommodated. Such changes and additions include set top terminal access authorizations and deauthorizations.
A set top terminal data gathering routine allows the network controller to schedule and perform polling of all set top terminals operating in the system. The software also provides the network controller with a means of processing status reports received from set top terminals in response to polling requests.
A video targeting routine makes use of a viewer""s demographic information and viewing habits to determine those advertisements that are of most interest to that particular viewer. In so doing, the routine generates packages of advertisements targeted towards each viewer.
Finally, an additional routine correlates the programs accessed with pricing information to generate billing reports that can be sent to a given set top terminal over the cable distribution network. Aside from this routine, the network controller accommodates other methods of billing and account maintenance, such as through the use of remote billing sites.
The present invention is not only able to operate in the digital environment but also introduces many new features to television program delivery and cable headend control.
It is an object of this invention to provide a network controller for a television delivery system.
It is an object of this invention to provide a network controller for a digital cable headend used in a cable television delivery system.
It is an object of this invention to provide certain needed components of a network controller for a digital cable headend used in a cable television delivery system.
It is an object of this invention to provide a versatile network controller for a cable headend.
It is an object of this invention to provide a network controller for use in a cable headend that is capable of operating in both the digital and analog environment.
It is an object of this invention to provide a network controller capable of controlling multiple video/audio program signals received by a cable headend.
It is an object of this invention to provide a network controller that can control the routing of both analog and digital video/audio program signals from cable headend to viewer homes.
It is an object of this invention to provide a network controller component for a cable headend that controls the combining the digital video/audio signals.
It is an object of this invention to provide a network controller that creates tiered programming by combining various digital video/audio signals.
It is an object of this invention to provide a network controller for a cable headend that accommodates different bandwidth availability between cable headend and certain viewer homes.
It is an object of the invention to provide a network controller capable of modifying program control information received from an external source.
It is an object of the invention to provide a network controller capable of targeting specific video/audio to specific viewers.
It is an object of the invention to provide a network controller capable of targeting television commercials to specific consumers and viewers.
It is an object of the invention to provide a network controller capable of retrieving data gathered at set top terminals.
It is an object of this invention to provide a network controller capable of managing account and billing information.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon review of the following description, the attached drawings and appended claims.